Sarah Lawrence College Top Questions

There are lots of activist groups, including racial, gender, sexuality, and other interest groups. There are no fraternities or sororities. There is self-produced music happening almost every weekend. AND- New York City is $7 and half an hour away.

Parties here are not what you typically think of as college parties. There are no frats, sororities, or raging keggers. We do not play beer pong or have power hours. Parties are usually smaller groups of people drinking liquor or wine and socializing. As for friends, I have a lot of different kinds of friends here. Most people here are "characters", you might say, so there is never a boring moment.

The social scene is broken down individually in dorms, no real student space on campus. People do fun things, but generally the social scene is fairly lame. Dating at SLC = no go. One of our favorite slogans about the SLC social scene: "We party like you pre-game."

I'm not sure what the most popular groups are on campus. There are a lot of them, and anybody essentially can create one. I'm in sustainable SLC and we plan events and try to change our institution to be more sustainable--it's working. In some dorms students leave their doors open, in others they don't. With the various living arrangements, it's too hard to generalize like that. Athletic events aren't so popular, theatre is very popular, guest speakers get some attendance. Dating scene isn't great and it's a small school...but dating happens. I met some of my closest friends through being an RA and others through Midnight Cabaret (a campus theatre troupe). If I'm awake at 2am on a tuesday, i'm probably on my computer thinking maybe I should go to bed...We don't have frats/sororities. This weekend I'm sitting at home writing a paper and procrastinating, I cleaned my kitchen (Shared with 4 others), and I plan to go to the city. On a Saturday night one can go to events--dances/shows/musical events, go to our student-run coffee shop, watch movies with friends, go to the city, hang out, do homework...I don't usually go off campus, but if I do I'd probably end up in the City at the Met. Alternatively I'd be grocery shopping at stop and shop

There is ALWAYS a theater production or other such performance on the weekends here. Many people complain that campus is dead Fri and Sat, since most people voyage into the Big Apple to get there kicks, but I've had a blast on campus with my friends. Yes, people drink, smoke, etc, but it's college, after all. No one judges you if you choose to pass your weekend in the absence of inebriation, so it's not that big of a deal. There's usually sponsored events that are substance free which are really fun (like dances, cabarets, musical performances, movie showings, etc).

I don't have time to go because I work.

There is always something going on around campus, but if you aren't interested, there's always New York City. And you can't get bored in the city. Pure and simple. Clubs around campus include many newspapers and writing groups, a myriad of self-righteous minority/rights clubs (although you can be a minority and end up not giving a damn about them), and enough stage or acting groups to make anyone go drama-queen. There are also sports teams - the equestrian team is awesome. If you have a club in mind, just get a few friends and start meeting. Chances are you'll be joined by others of your kind soon enough.

"Identity" groups are a hit on campus. Everything here is about "identity." Students don't really leave their doors open because if they were to do so, they'd be fined for smoking pot. Athletic events? Ha. Guest speakers? Well, we get a rousing speech on global warming literally every week, so I guess that's something. Theater is huge here. I don't know much about the dating scene, and frankly, I don't want to. If I'm awake that late on a Tuesday, I'm probably studying. There aren't any real traditions here, although they've resurrected Sleaze Week this year. Basically, Sleaze Week involves all the gay kids on campus wearing scanty outfits and reveling in just how, well, gay they are. People here love to talk about sexuality and really, like, explore their sexuality because, you know, that's, um, sort of a way to escape the oppressive male-dominated society we've all been forced to live in. There isn't really a party scene here, nor are there any fraternities or sororities. Last weekend was Spring Break, so I basked in being away from school. On a Saturday night, you're options are to either go to New York City or go stay on campus and think of reasons not to lose your mind due to boredom. Most people choose the former. Sarah Lawrence is really close to NYC, so there's more to do off campus than most people can even imagine.

We used to have this thing called the "Coming Out Dance." I'm told it was a time for people to come down to Bates--dressed in nearly nothing, mind you--and dance to their hearts content in celebration of sexuality and being comfortable. Due to the fact that people got stupidly-drunk and had to be taken to the hospital, the dance was cancelled indefinitely 4 years ago. We still have things like the Sleaze Ball and Spring Formal, but student senate and groups like SLC Acts UP! and TRANSaction are trying to bring it back.

I live in NYC. I don't have a social life on campus, my freshman year I was very unhappy and could not seem to meet like minded people, I felt very alone. There is a lot of getting drunk and making out with other girls because there are not many straight boys on campus. There are no frats or sororities which is great in my opinion, but the school is pretty clique oriented, you don't say hello to people you don't know very often. I met my closest friend in a Photo class freshman year, about halfway through the year when we finally talked to each other we got along really well. A lot of people come into the city on the weekend, so the campus can be pretty dead, but I think there are movie screenings and stuff.

At Sarah Lawrence, I never really stick to a specific crowd or social scene, but that's not a very widespread approach. Each social circle exists as individual units, each entirely separated form the next. There's a heavy drinking scene, but you have to actively search it out, and I have to find any real drug culture on this campus. Campus events themselves take up a large number of student's slots of available time, as there's a huge variety to choose from almost every night of the week. And on the nights in which nothing appeals it's almost too easy to organize a group something, be it a midnight scary story reading or movie marathon in the school's student run pub.

One makes one's own social life on campus.

The clubs and activities here at SLC are rather pathetic. There are a fair amount of clubs but there usually are very few people in each. The radio station here is pretty cool and a lot of students do that. The student body is usually very apathetic in terms of activities going on on campus, most of the time no one shows up. Almost no one showed up to the new president of the school's inauguration if that gives you an idea of how uninterested they are. Even when there are really awesome speakers or events, which there often are, no one goes. As far as the dating scene goes the 70:30 female to male ratio makes it incredibly difficult to be a woman on this campus. The ratio gives the men a feeling of entitlement and turns them into womanizers. If you're interested in having a good chance of finding a boyfriend or even decent guys don't come to Sarah Lawrence. There is also very little to do on campus during the weekends, that includes partying. Nothing really goes on on campus.

PETA(people eating tasty animals) rocks. Most people in the dorms do not leave their doors open. It just isn't a Sarah Lawrence thing to do. In my house, where I live with 7 of my friends from our first year dorm, we leave our doors open because we are comfortable with each other. We landed on a hall together last year and we've been lifers ever since. People don't date at slc. People just hook-up. And even hooking-up is rare (if you're a straight female). The few who do date are weird. No one wants to watch you make out in the pub. Go find a pillow in the library. Basketball games are pretty eventful. But no one really goes to speakers or lectures. You'll often have a handful of students or just the friends of the person who coordinated it. 2am on a tuesday I am practicing in marshall field or getting ready for bed. except for mardi gras. no greek life. don't need one. people party thursday, friday, saturday sometimes sunday. and birthdays or special occasions nab the other days of the week. last weekend there were some non slc boys visiting. always a good chance for a hook up. saturday night there are usually concerts or dances or films shown. there is always something to do on campus, but who wouldn't want to drink??

The most popular organizations on campus are racial diversity, LGBT, and political activism groups like "Save Darfur." I am on the crew team, and it's awesome. There's a small sect of athletes here who are really great, motivated people. Students don't usually leave their doors open because of a wave of theft a few years ago. Students don't really attend athletic events, though theater performances are very popular. Guest speakers are mostly about the same topics, either global warming or something involving homosexuality, but they seem relatively popular. The dating scene is weird. I met my closest friends though class and then through other friends. If I'm awake at 2am on a Tuesday, I'm doing homework. There are no annual traditions/events...? People here party all the time. That's all there really is to do on the weekends, beside go into the city and party. There are no fraternities or sororities. Last weekend, I saw a movie and did homework. Besides drinking, you can watch a movie or spend the night in with friends. Off campus, I go into New York for a good dinner or to walk around and shop.

The swim team is amazing, and won the championships last year when i was on the team (and a few years previously to that as well) This year we only had 9 girls, but still did really well. Some were really experienced and had been swimming for years, but there were at least two who had never been on a team before, and by the end of the season they had dropped a lot of time. This saturday i made chicken parmesan, spaghetti, and cheesy broccoli with a few friends. We then watched The Prestige and looked at pictures of kittens on line, and told stories about home. In the city i usually go get dim sum for dinner, and try and go some place new each time i go. Union square is always fun, and they have a great farmers market. In Bronxville i go to the ice creme store the most often... everyone has their vices! The 5 and 10 drug store has great prices, and i do all of my shopping that is not grocery related there

Hillel has a pretty big following...aside from that I can't really think of anything else. I am on the crew team, but I don't really do anything but row...For the most part, students leave their doors closed. Socially, SLC is very segregated. People party and hang out with their friends and no one else. Athletic events are not popular because athletics are "lame". Awake at 2 am on a Tuesday: either sitting alone at my computer in my room or writing a paper. Dating scene: well, for straight kids, girls lower their standards hugely because of the lack of straight males on campus, or they become notorious LUGs (lesbians until graduation). Straight guys have a field day because at SLC they can get with a girl WAY out of their league in the real world. I met my closest friends through people I live with and classes. There is no Greek Life here. Last weekend, I DJed a sick dance party, and then spent the weekend at my best friends house an hour away. On saturday nights, there might be a concert, maybe, but usually there is nothing to do that doesn't involve drugs or alcohol. Off campus, we go to NYC and do whatever one does in the Big Apple.